This article helps UMS students, faculty, and staff determine whether to use a Google Group or an Auxiliary (Aux) Account for departmental communication and collaboration. It clarifies the appropriate use for each service and outlines current best practices for security and data management.
Detailed Information
While both Google Groups and Auxiliary (Aux) Accounts can be used for departmental email, they serve different purposes and have important differences in features and best practices.
Differences between an Aux Account vs Google Group
| |
Aux (AUX) Account |
Google Group |
| Primary Use Case |
A licensed account for a specific departmental function, resource, or integration. |
Mailing lists, collaborative inbox, and permissions management for a team. |
| Shared Inbox |
Yes. Managed via account delegation. |
Yes. Recommended via the "Collaborative Inbox" feature. |
| Google Calendar |
Has its own dedicated calendar by default. |
Can be made a member of a shared calendar. |
| Google Drive Storage |
Has a "My Drive." (See warning below) |
Can be made a member of a Google Shared Drive. |
| Bulk Emails |
No. Prohibited; functions like a standard user account. |
Yes. Permitted and designed for this purpose. |
| Access Management |
Account Delegation. |
Membership roles (Owner, Manager, Member). |
WARNING: Do not use an Auxiliary Account's "My Drive" for storing critical departmental files. If the Aux account is ever deleted, all files it owns will also be permanently deleted. The UMS best practice is to use a Google Shared Drive for all departmental data, which protects files from being deleted when an individual account is removed.
INFO: Per UMS Administrative Practice Letter VI-C, passwords must not be shared. Access to an Auxiliary Account must be managed using account delegation. An Aux account can be delegated to a Google Group to grant access to all members of a team.
Google Groups
Google Groups are ideal for communication and collaboration among a group of people. A group is a single email address (e.g., department-name-group@maine.edu) that contains multiple members.
Common Uses:
-
Mailing Lists: Easily send emails to all members of a department or project team.
-
Collaborative Inboxes: Allow multiple people to manage, assign, and track email conversations sent to a single address. This feature is useful for help desks and departmental contact points.
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Permissions Management: Grant access to Google Drive files, Shared Drives, and Google Calendars to all group members at once.
To create a Google Group, please follow these instructions: How to Create A Google Group.
Auxiliary (Aux) Account
Auxiliary Accounts are full Google Workspace accounts used by staff and faculty for a specific departmental function rather than an individual. They have their own inbox, calendar, and drive storage, but their use requires careful management.
Common Uses:
To request an Aux account, fill out this form: Request an Aux Account
To grant others access to an Aux account, you must use delegation: Delegate access to your email or an AUX account
Environment
- Google Workspace
- Google Group
- GMail
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive